The Forgotton Fables
by DreamingAlone
Summary: A young Elf has just celebrated her birthday when her village is attacked. She has to find her King and keep a dark secret hidden. Along the way, she picks up some friends and quite a few enemies. Will she finnish her quest? What is he secret? Find out!
1. Chapter 1

The Forgotten Fables

Chapter One: Bittersweet

It was a day like any other. The Arrow Tree Elves, a particularly happy sect of Woodland Elves, were celebrating the coming of summer as Entlings ran about carefully watched over by the Ents and Entwives. These Elves lived in Fangorn Forest and were quite common during the beginning of the War of the Jewels. They were a lively group and liked the company of Elves and Dwarves and Men. They had even given life to the Ents, who became shepherds of Fangorn Forest.

These Elves were excellent crafters and could create the best known arrows in both Beleriand and Middle Earth. Their arrows were tipped with silver on the end of oak wood topped with eagle feathers. These arrows shot farther and faster than any arrow ever created in the history of Middle Earth.

This day was also Leenia's day of becoming an adult Elf, her thirty and one hundredth birthday. She received a beautiful white mare, the daughter of the King and Queen's horses, and a magical saddle that made her horse as vulnerable as an Elf. This meant that her horse, whose name was Ardinia, could not die of old age or of disease. Ardinia could however die of grief or mortal wound.

It happened just as she received this gift, when out of the Fangorn came the enemies. Three Balrogs, two Trolls, and around two thousand Orcs came upon the two hundred or so Arrow Tree Elves and attacked. Many Elves were slain, but more so were the Orc bodies that lay hewn upon the ground. Leenia rushed to aid Eréndëror, King of the Arrow Tree Elves, who was surrounded by Orcs.

Leenia tried to kill all the Orcs she could, but one of the three Balrogs came up from behind her. They fought until dusk and both were weary at the end, but Leenia was triumphant in the battle and slew the Balrog. Unknown to her during the battle were the two Trolls who had come up behind her. She struggled but could not break free from their grip and in the end was captured; her hands and feet bound.

Fifty of the eleven and two hundred Elves that were in the village managed to escape from Morgoth's Balrogs and headed towards the western shore to sail to the Undying Lands, since the Arrow Tree Elves were of the ancient race of Elves known as the Calaquendi, or "Elves of the Light" or "High Elves." This means that these Elves could sail into the West without punishment, unlike the Nolder Elves, who had angered the Valar years before. The Elves that escaped included Eowynéra, Queen of the Arrow Tree Elves. But her daughter, the Princess, was nowhere to be found. The King and Leenia were both forced against their will to be taken to Angband, where Morgoth, the Dark Lord, dwelt. Many times the two captured Elves tried to escape from their captors, but all times failed, for the enemy was too numerous to elude.

The two Elves did not speak, but instead shot glances at each other when the Orcs were occupied. Both knew that if they uttered a word, the Orcs would eavesdrop and report anything that they had heard to their master. When the Orc party and two Elves arrived at Angband, the fortress of the Dark Lord Morgoth, it had been six days since they were captured. Leenia and Eréndëror were thrown in front of Morgoth but showed no signs of fear or hatred. They only got up and stood there like stone statues, staring strait ahead.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Tyrant

"So this is the mighty King of the Arrow Tree Elves," said a sneering voice honeyed with decay. Morgoth appeared from the shadows, leaning forward from his throne staring at Eréndëror who did not as much as blink in front of Morgoth.

"And who is this? A faithful warrior? Or perhaps a lowly peasant?" he continued droning now staring at Leenia with mild interest. "I thought I told you worthless worms to bring me the King, Queen, and the Princess, not an insignificant commoner!" he yelled at his minions, who were now trembling with fear as he slowly rose up from his throne and moved towards them.

"W-we tr-tried your majesty, b-but we could not find the Queen or Princess. A-all we c-could find was th-this Elf warrior," roughly aid a heavily scarred Orc.

"She m-managed t-to kill one of the Balrogs," stuttered another Orc towards the back.

"B-but we think that-that the Q-Queen and Princess i-is heading to the Undying Lands. But if you give us m-more time," said one of the Orc archers in a rough but trembling voice, "we could-," Morgoth, in a fit of rage, decapitated the Orc archer's head before the sentence was finished.

"Search the forests! I want her found now! Do not stop the hunt until she is found!" yelled Morgoth.

The Orcs stumbled out as quickly as possible and got into groups and started the search for the Princess. Eréndëror gave a quick glance and a small wink at Leenia and she gave a slight nod. Both knew that Morgoth would never find the Queen or the Princess, or at least they hoped he would never find them. They had to hope, after they had lost so much.

"Take the King to dungeons and chain him up, I will deal with him later. I want to find who this great Elf warrior is first," ordered Morgoth.

There was silence for a while, but Leenia just stared ahead, already wondering how she was going to rescue the King and get out of Angband without being caught or killed. He was already out of the room and out of sight. Morgoth was slowly moving towards her, looking at her with an almost curious expression on his mangled face.

"So, you are the warrior my Orcs were muttering about, the one who managed to kill one of my Balrogs?"

She made no answer nor showed any sign of acknowledgment of him even being right next to her, leering at her through cold, dead eyes.

"Seeing as you could be useful in my plans, I will give you a choice. You can join me willingly or," he said with a snarl of what appeared to be evil bliss, "I could force you to join us. Just renounce your King, your people, and your heritage and I will spare you an agonizing life and make you a head general of my great army. What say you to that?"

"I would not join your army even if the Valar forgave you as they did once before," she said in a stern voice. "I will never renounce the name of my beloved King or my people. I am proud of my heritage and will never forsake it. I would rather die, nay, be tortured to the end of time than join what you call an army."

"That can be arranged," said Morgoth, snapping his fingers.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Burdens

Several of his gnarled servants came and took Leenia to a dank, dark room. There, they whipped her and beat her till she was unconscious and horribly bleeding from her back where the whip had cut threw her cloak, staining it with blood and ripping it into nothing more than a shredded piece of cloth. They then threw her into a cell with nothing but the cold, bare floor as a bed. She awoke into a living nightmare from which she could not wake up.

This routine continued for a week. She neither drank nor ate what they attempted to feed her, afraid that the food was tainted or drugged. She never asked for the torture to stop, nor did she scream while the torturing commenced. Leenia could not and would not show any signs of weakness to her enemy. She had to be strong, no matter what happened to her. She couldn't give Morgoth the satisfaction that she was weakening and dying inside of her broken body.

On the eighth day of her torturing, her back was swollen and caked with dried blood; her cloak was nothing but shreds on her back. She had tried to heal herself, as most Elves have the power to do, but she was too weak, not having eaten or drank anything in days. Morgoth came to her cell and ordered her to be sent to the mines to dig for ore. He asked again on the way to the mines, but Leenia, who had not spoken since she was last asked by Morgoth to join his army, simply said, "I would rather continue being tortured for the rest of eternity." Her voice was scratchy and hoarse from constant coughing and the dryness of the arid air.

"Are you quite sure? Your King is weak. I can not see why he is so important to you to make you suffer for him," jeered Morgoth, pleased to see anger rising in Leenia's bruised face. "He is so weak. He can not even handle a little torture. It will be a great day when I have to kill him. He is just as stubborn as you, but I will kill him eventu-"

Leenia could not stand Morgoth disgracing her King's name like that. She tackled him to the ground to the delight of cheering Elves who were mining the ore. She punched him with all her strength, but it was not enough. He threw her off of him. Her threw her against a wall and punched her many times until she fell to the ground.

"This," said a disheveled Morgoth, "is what happens when a prisoner defies me." The now booing Elves were soon silenced. They slowly returned to their work, glancing looks of worry at the Elf now lying on the ground. "Elves are weak," continued Morgoth, kicking Leenia in the stomach. "They are controlled easily," he shouted to the other Elves and kicked Leenia again, rolling her over so her face was in the dirt. "Their ideas are bad and appalling," continued Morgoth, walking over to where Leenia helplessly lay. "Isn't that right?" he asked her, bending down to get a closer look.

"No," she said weakly, but even as she spoke, her voice gained strength. "We are strong, stronger than your Orcs. We are older and wiser, and we will not be oppressed much longer!" she kicked Morgoth's legs, knocking him down into the mud.

The other Elves cheered as Leenia stood up, shaking mud off of her. It seemed like her strength was back tenfold. Her courage gathered in size as she smirked. The Orcs swooped in swiftly to tie her up and to help their lord who lay face down in the mud. He pushed them away and slapped Leenia, but he could not wipe away the smirk on her face or the glee that filled the worker Elves' faces. He ordered her to be sent to the mine to work for a year, but she did not plan to stay in Angband for that long.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Escape

When she went to the mines, she helped the other imprisoned Elves, the same Elves who had cheered for her earlier, to plan an escape. She told them her name was Leenia the Wanderer and that she was an Arrow Tree Elf who was captured along with her King, Eréndëror. She thought it was best not to tell them her true identity. If Morgoth found out who she truly was, she and anyone that she knew would be in grave danger.

They kept secretly digging a tunnel that led out into the plain on the edge of Angband. Leenia soon found out she had a secret strength, as most Elves do. She could control light, if she put her mind to it enough. She could produce a ball of light that could brighten a cavern so one could see easily. With Leenia's guiding light, they kept digging for another week till the outside plain was within reach, and when the next rainfall came two days after, they escaped.

Four of the nine and seventy Elves that tried to escape died. But, thanks to the cloak of rain and fog, the other five and seventy managed to get out before the Orcs even knew that they had left. Leenia and the four and seventy other Elves, who happened to be of Doriath, a hidden kingdom ruled by King Thingol and protected by Melian the Maia, were now in the forest, safe from Morgoth, but still weary from the forced labor and torture. As they journeyed though, a shadow followed them and, on the third night since their escape, it appeared to the Elves.

As it drew near, the Elves tensed, ready for the fight. But a neigh and a swish of a silvery-grey tail revealed it to be none other than Ardinia, Leenia's white mare, with a pack and a bundle tied to her saddle. In the bundle were three daggers with special inscriptions and enchantments that made the daggers each glow a different color when Orcs drew near, an extra cloak, a bow, a quiver of fifty arrows, and a pair of twin swords. Inside of the pack was some rope, lembas bread, a wineskin filled with entwash water from Fangorn Forest, a crown, and a note.

The note read as follows:

_Dearest Daughter,_

_I am hopeful that you and your father find this and that Ardinia finds both of you. I pray that you both are unharmed. The other remaining Arrow Tree Elves thought it wise that we remaining Elves of our village in Fangorn Forest go to the Undying Lands. I packed your favorite bow, a quiver of fifty arrows, a sword for both you and your father, your crown that fell off your head during the fight, and other necessities. Please keep safe and out of harm's way. I know that you will not want to leave Middle Earth, but send a message to the Undying Lands as soon as time allows. Remember that I will always be with you and that I love you.  
_

_Until Our Next Meeting,  
Queen Eowynéra  
_

As she finished reading, Leenia realized that the other Elves had looked not only at the note in her hand, but also at the crown in the pack. Silently, Leenia handed out the three daggers and two swords to the strongest Elves among them and kept the bow and arrows to use for herself. She thought it was better for six Elves to be lightly armed rather than one heavily armed.

She then distributed the lembas bread around to the other Elves. There was left over bread since only one small bite could keep a full grown Elf full for an entire day. Since there was not much water, she limited it to a mouthful for the most injured Elves. After everything was handed out and all the Doriath Elves fed, Leenia addressed what was on their minds.

"I know what is that you are all thinking of. We shall discuss the letter in a more secure area, away from the spies of Morgoth. Now, which way do we head to get to Doriath? I don't think that I will be able to come since I am not of that city, but I would not want you Elves to be traveling injured and unarmed," she said.

"Certainly," said one of the Doriath Elves who seemed to be the chieftain among them. "Tis' simple. We just need to head south towards the Mountains of Terror and then into the Forest of Neldoreth, and Melian shall let us into the protected Girdle. She will most likely allow you passage into our city, Leenia, since you took great part in our escape."

"We should hurry ere our route is found!" shouted another Doriath Elf, and the others murmured in agreement.

"Let us head northward towards Doriath with haste," said Leenia.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Homeward

The chieftain Elf was named Berelong Keen Eyed. Berelong was tall and slender with light brown hair that seemed to glow and shimmer in the sunbeams. He was a great warrior and could see across great distances, thus the name "Keen Eyed." He was good with a bow, but not nearly as good as Leenia was. Berelong was honest and reliable, and Leenia knew that she could trust him with anything or any dark, deep secret she had. But she would wait to see what the future held before she told him who she truly was.

Thus the group of four and seventy Doriath Elves and Leenia, who is hereafter mostly called Leenia the Wanderer to hide her identity from Morgoth after the fall of the Arrow Tree Elves, came into Doriath four days after their escape and were warmly welcomed by King Thingol and Queen Melian. As they recovered, all the Elves in Doriath, especially Berelong, were curious about the letter from Queen Eowynéra and even more so of Leenia and where she hailed.

"My name is Leenia the Wanderer and I am an Arrow Tree Elf. I come from Middle Earth, just southeast of Mirkwood Forest and Lorien, in Fangorn Forest which is also known as Entwood. I am but a simple healer Elf in my village who wanted to help save my King," Leenia said to a council of Doriath Elves, led by their King, Thingol. It had been five days, and though still slightly weak, Leenia had enough strength to get around and about.

"What were the crown and the note doing in the pack on your horse? Was it not addressed to the Princess?" asked Thingol and several Elves murmured in agreement.

"I do not know, my horse is the fastest and perhaps the only horse that survived and was sent to another Elf."

"But then would the letter not also be written to you, too?"

"Queen Eowynéra most likely sent the horse to the Princess, not me. But then my horse found me first. I do not know where the Princess is though, but I intend to find her before Morgoth does," said Leenia, a flame of irritation making a small flicker in her voice.

"Are you suggesting that you are going to search for the Princess by yourself?" asked Thingol, a slight touch of amusement in his tone.

"No."

This last voice did not come from Leenia, but from Berelong Keen Eyed, who was now stepping forward from the crowd of Elves.

"I intend to help her find the Princess, no matter how long it takes. Then we shall rescue the King, or else the second before the first," he said.

"It is too dangerous. I do not want another Elf getting injured for one of my mistakes," Leenia said.

"Then you shall not go," Thingol simply said.

"Why? Why would you keep me from saving my King and his daughter from-"

"You must not go alone for your own safety," said Thingol. "You can go in a few days when you are fully recovered, but only if you have another Elf with you. I don't even send messengers of mine to other realms if they are not accompanied by another. Tisn't safe in this part of the world any more."

"So be it then. But I move quickly and silently. Berelong, arm yourself with whatever you need, but choose your weapons and packing items carefully. Do not be overloaded with unnecessary items that can be left behind," Leenia finished.

The Elves that had used Leenia's daggers and swords returned them to her. But, when Berelong tried to return the dagger that he used, Leenia pushed it back into his hand saying that it was a gift and it would serve him well through the rest of his life. He thanked her, and used it in many battles afterwards.

After a week of resting, she was fully recovered, save her heart. Ill news had reached Doriath on the sixth day after her arrival. The ship carrying Queen Eowynéra and the rest of her people that had survived the previous onslaught from the Morgoth's troops had been destroyed. No survivors were reported. Great was the sadness that filled Leenia's heart. Her Queen was dead and the rest of her family and friends were also dead, save her King who still remained in Angband against his will and her Princess who was lost.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: Departure

On the eighth day after her arrival at Doriath, a total of three and thirty days since she was first captured by the Orcs in Fangorn Forest, Leenia the Wanderer, Berelong Keen Eyed, Berelong's brown horse Helegol, and Leenia's white horse Ardinia headed eastward, towards the Pass of Belegost in the Blue Mountains. The rested there for a day and sought for news of King Eréndëror or the Arrow Tree Elf Princess, but no news was to be found.

They then headed southward, skimming the Blue Mountains but still pushing forward in the direction of the Grey Mountains, drawing ever so closer to Fangorn and Leenia's home village, though she was afraid to look upon its once great splendor.

She feared for the beautiful gardens that she had tended to, the wondrous marble statues, the tall standing towers covered in flowered vines that bloomed white and gold in the morning sunlight, and the magnificent buildings that used to be her home. She did not want these treasures to be gone from the world and now wished more than ever that they were instead looking for the King, rather than heading for a pillaged homeland of a destroyed race of Elves.

They soon reached the Grey Mountains, but still no news of the King or the Princess was heard. They traveled through the forest of Mirkwood and across the river Anduin. They followed the bottom of the Misty Mountains drawing ever nearer to Fangorn Forest, where the Arrow Tree Elf village lay.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: Remembrance

When they first arrived in the forest clearing, the sunlight sparkled through the trees, dimly shining upon the village. It was disastrous. The gardens and surrounding trees were burnt to the ground. The white marble statues were headless. The tall towers were leveled to the forest floor, and the white flowered vines that had been on them were now blood-red. Her house and the houses of her friends and family were now no more than rubble. Hewn bodies of Elves lay in piles, still smoldering with smoke rising. Orc markings were everywhere adding to the dreadfulness of the scene.

Leenia could not bear it. She fell to her knees, creating a small echo that disintegrated into the trees around her. She kneeled there for hours. Unable to move. Unable to speak. Unable to accept this new horror into her life. It was too unreal, seeming like a nightmare that was too frightful even to think about. Her home, her life, her family, her friends, all her hopes, dreams, and bliss disappeared into nothingness.

Berelong gave her a day to let everything pass through her and to get a stronghold on her emotions, and then helped to her to give a proper burial for the dead. Mismatched parts of bodies were put together and laid beside the dead Elves in the caves kept separate from the village by the Arrow Tree Elves for the dead. It took two days to gather the dead and their limbs and then place them in the burial cave, but they worked on, even into the darkest hours of the night.

At last the task was done, and the valiant Arrow Tree Elves that gave there life for there village were laid to rest in the caves. There were flowers that bloomed on the caves that had stayed white and gold, having not soaked up any blood and their petals seemed to glow, even in the darkness. It was a wondrous sight, and filled Leenia and Berelong with awe and amazement.

"This is a beautiful grave," said Berelong quietly.

"Yes, it is," Leenia sighed. "I thank you for helping me. We should go now though, ere any Orcs come hither."

"I agree. To Angband then?" 

"Yes, to Angband and to my King!"

They then headed back northward, but this time over the Misty Mountains and the Grey Mountains instead of around them. Leenia was hopeful to hear news of her King; that he might have escaped from Angband. No news came. This saddened her heart, but at the same time also gave her more hope. No news of her King also meant that he was most likely to still be alive. Morgoth would boast about killing the Arrow Tree Elf King if had done so.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: Retribution

In the span of three days, Leenia and Berelong managed to reach the Blue Mountains and traveled along the western side of them to cover new ground and hopefully hear new news about Eréndëror. The new villages they came across hailed no tidings of the King, but still the two traveling Elves carried on. They would not despair. They could not give up.

Soon reaching the Terror Mountains that were just on the edge of the plain that Angband bordered, Leenia and Berelong made camp for the night. They sat there pondering about how they were going to sneak into Angband, as it took a month to get out of it. They did not know how they were supposed to get in, find King Eréndëror, and get out without being killed. It seemed impossible.

"Do you have any idea how we are supposed to get in there?" asked Berelong, taking a swig of water from his wineskin and gazing towards the direction that Angband was in.

"Not a clue. I didn't think we could get out the first time, but if we did I had hoped it would be with my King," Leenia sighed. She was just as unaware as Berelong as to how they were going to achieve this.

"Should we get caught, and then escape again?" asked Berelong.

"No, it's too risky. We could be killed on the spot," commented Leenia. "How about sneaking in as spies?"

"That might work, but-"

"But what?"

"But we could be forced to fight our own people."

"Alas! You are right. I could never kill another Elf. Tis' shameful. I can not even bring myself to kill a Drow. But then how?"

"I do not know. What about just sneaking in and attacking the Orcs inside?"

"No, that would be foolish. If we did that, we might as well hand ourselves over unarmed."

"You're right. Ten thousand against two is unwise. Suppose we captured one of Morgoth's generals or lieutenants, perhaps Sauron."

"We could hold a prisoner exchange to get back Eréndëror!"

"But how are we going to get him out? Waiting won't do much good. It could take weeks or even months for him to come out."

"And time isn't something that is on our side. What if we challenged him? Drew him out of his hidey-hole? I could take him on, with my light power and all I mean," Leenia stood up, as if she were going to go challenge Sauron that moment.

"Are you sure? Not to offend you, but you do not have complete control over your power yet. You should practice a little bit first," said Berelong, stretching and getting up too.

"Alright, alright," said Leenia, with a slight note of annoyance in her voice. "I will practice for two-"

"Three," interrupted Berelong.

"Three?"

"Would you like to make it four?"

"Fine. Three days. Then, I will fight Sauron."

Three days soon came and went and Leenia's ability to control her power of light increased, but to her and Berelong's dismay, her strength was still limited. However, this factor did no part to deter Leenia from her goal. On the morning after her third day of practicing, she checked all of her weaponry to make sure that she would be at her fullest potency.

Her bowstring was fully tightened and her quiver was filled with arrows. Her twin swords were sharp and in position to be taken out of their sheath next to the quiver of arrows on her back in a heartbeat. Her dagger was at her waist and her hair was pulled back. She wore her clothe dress with leather pants, but no true armor. It was not the nature of an Arrow Tree Elf to wear armor, except perhaps mithril, since it was light in weight, but mithril was hard to come by. She was ready then to ride out to challenge Sauron, Lieutenant of Morgoth.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: Victory

It was a misty morning when Leenia headed out. There was no sun out in the sky, only clouds and smoke. There was a plain in front of the dark gates of Angband. It was barren and dry. Nothing could live there. Nothing would live there for fear of the shadow of Angband and the threat of Morgoth. Not even in the forest that was bordered by the Terror Mountains and the plain before Angband had animals in it, unless one counts the many beasts and trolls of Morgoth that dwell there.

Leenia rode out on Ardinia without any sign of fear in her eyes. Strong was her spirit and proud was her heart. She rode not for power or honor or even glory. She rode for her King, and this was enough to make her fight what seemed a hopeless fight. The powers of love still are not fully understandable, but it a force even more powerful than brute strength. In Elves, love, loyalty, and friendship is hard to come by, but, when it is there, it is the strongest love, loyalty, and friendship in the world.

The silence outside of Angband's gate was absolute. It was an unbelievable sight: a heavily armed Elf atop a white horse on a dead plain in front of the darkest of dark lord's gates, ready to fight Morgoth's most powerful and trusted lieutenant. Berelong looked on from the bordering forest in awe and admiration of Leenia's courage.

"Come out Sauron, you cowardly swine! Come out and fight if you have the courage to! Do you not want the honor of killing the last Arrow Tree Elf?" shouted Leenia, without a trace of alarm in her voice. "I am the same Elf that disgraced your lord and threw him into the mud!"

Silence that was deeper even than the silence from before responded to these words. Nothing moved. There was not even an echo in chasm that was Angband. Then, a low rumble sounded, and the gates opened slowly. Sauron had come out into the open with flames of fury in his eyes. He was not ugly. He was indeed fair, but he seemed as foul as if he were repulsive.

"You called me cowardly for not coming out did you not?" asked a sly voice issuing from Sauron. "Well, you wanted a fight and you will get a fight. I heard that you once killed a Balrog, a very impressive feat, but no matter. It will be my pleasure to kill you."

"I will give you one chance to forfeit," said Leenia, "but if you do not then you shouldn't expect much mercy."

"Enough with the conversation, do you want to fight or not?!" exclaimed Sauron.

"Fine then. Let the fight begin."

Leenia dismounted Ardinia. She and Sauron started the fight by circling each other. While Sauron had his long sword that was about one half and five feet long, Leenia had her twin blades, which were about three feet long each. Leenia knew that it was better to make the second move than the first; she wanted to attack Sauron cunningly. She knew Sauron was strong, but he was not as agile as she was. If she could keep moving quickly and sharply, she would have the advantage. Suddenly, Sauron lunged forth and struck at Leenia, who blocked his attack. The fight had begun.

The duel raged on for what seemed an eternity. The fight was eagerly watched by Berelong from afar and hundreds of Orcs and quite a few trolls from atop the gates of Angband. Sauron would try to swing his sword at Leenia, but she would block it then whip around and try to hit him with her twin blades, but he would counter that attack with another attack. This led to no hits being made by either one of the fighters. They were equally matched and neither one of them were making any progress. It was time for Leenia to change her strategy.

On the next blow Sauron stuck she used her twin blades again, but light rang through them time, and they sung as they hit and broke Sauron's sword. Sauron was shocked by Leenia's surprise attack as was Morgoth. She kicked Sauron and he toppled to the ground where he laid, pinned down by Leenia's foot and checked by one of her twin blades.

"If you want your sniveling servant back," she yelled at Morgoth, who stood as still as stone atop his gates, "then I demand the return of my King, Eréndëror!"

"Very sly, young she-Elf!" snarled Morgoth, who, having thawed from his stone status, appeared surprisingly pleased looking at his most trusted lieutenant lying on the ground at the mercy of an enemy. "You have gotten stronger since I last saw you. You would make a fine edition to my-"

"I have already said that I would have nothing to do with your so called army. I am here to take my King back!" she yelled in rage, pointing her free blade directly at Morgoth in a threatening manner.

"Fine then," said Morgoth, snapping his fingers.

A group of gnarled Orcs brought out a badly beaten Elf. He seemed diminished, misshapen, nothing like the Elven King Leenia knew. This Elf looked as if he had aged; an uncommon experience in Elves. It hurt Leenia to see Eréndëror in this condition and she was determined to get him out.

"Release him now or I shall kill Sauron!" Leenia shouted.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten: Trapped

"Release him? Why would I do something like that? You are not in the position to ask for your King. You should be asking for your life to be spared," said Morgoth, pointing to the western end of the gates of Angband towards a party of seven Balrogs. "I know you fared satisfactory against a Balrog one-on-one, but how about seven at one time?"

"You coward! Using your Balrogs as a shield! Tis' shameful to not fight yourself in such a position as this."

"I will give you your King under one condition: bring me the Arrow Tree Elf Princess, and your King will be released."

"She is dead!" shouted Leenia, but without much convincement in her voice. "But," she continued, "even if she was alive, I would never hand her over. My King is important, but to betray one of my own is treason. But-"

Before Leenia could finish her sentence, a flash of pure light came from atop the gate where her King was. Most of the Orcs were taken unawares a fell to the ground where they lay stunned and motionless. Even Morgoth seemed alarmed. He looked as if he knew the King's power, but in Eréndëror's condition, he most likely assumed that the Elven King could not do all that much damage. Eréndëror even surprised Leenia with his strength after being held captive and tortured for well over a month.

But, just as the light issuing from his body reached its climax, Eréndëror seemed to diminish. He was being restrained by more than a dozen Orcs. Leenia was so busy shooting her arrows at the Orcs holding Eréndëror down that she did not realize Sauron, who was slowly getting up and moving away, but Berelong did. He had already sped towards Leenia after Eréndëror first started producing light. He jumped off Helegol and kept Sauron at bay while Leenia shot down Orcs one after another after another.

But it was not enough. The Orcs were too many and Leenia was out of arrows. The King was struggling and was soon overpowered by Orcs. He was dragged away again by the enemy while Leenia watched, unable to help him. Berelong shouted to her to move away from the gate because the Balrogs were coming, but Leenia did not care. At least not until Ardinia nudged her, whinnying for her to come. Everything seemed muted and slowed, almost as if it was some sort of horrific and unreal nightmare, but it was real. Time seemed to slow down as everything happened.

"We have to go now, Leenia. The Orcs are coming," Berelong repeated as both of their horses grew nervous, time seemed to speed up and normality was restored, but the nightmare still was not over.

"Leenia, we have to go now, the Balrogs are drawing nigh," Berelong told her, pushing and urging her move. "Please, we must go."

"Fine. Then let us make haste," Leenia sighed heavily, sadness filling the hollows in her voice, making her tone seem like huge void of emptiness as she rode off from the Gates of Angband and away from her King, Eréndëror.

She knew in her heart that that would be the last time for a long while that she would have the chance to see Eréndëror again, if she would ever have the chance to see him again. She had to hope that she and Berelong would find a way to rescue him, ere Morgoth broke his spirit. She would find a way, she had to. Leenia and Eréndëror were the only two Arrow Tree Elves known to be alive, unless others were in hiding to keep safe from enemy spies and beasts.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven: Friendship

Thus Leenia and Berelong fled to get away from Morgoth; from Angband; and to Leenia's displeasure, away from King Eréndëror. The entire reason why they had tried to enter Angband was to rescue him, but Morgoth was triumphant in keeping the King as his hostage. Leenia wondered if she would ever get the chance to rescue her King again, or even if she would ever see him alive again. Whatever happened, Berelong would be there to help her through as he had done time and time again.

Berelong and Leenia decided to head southward to see if any other villages needed help in defeating Morgoth's minions. They traveled to the villages lying in the shadowed foothills of the Blue Mountains, slaying Orcs and Goblins and Trolls wherever they could. They saved hundreds of Dwarves and even Men, a new type of being that did not live long, but was a friend and allies to Elves.

Berelong was surprised at how friendly Leenia was to the Dwarves, whom most Elves looked down upon or else gave no notion of their existence. Leenia spoke the Dwarfish language and participated in Dwarfish games, like the drinking game. The rules were simple: no spilling beer, no nausea, and no pauses. The last one to be able to stay on their feet and not pass out with drunkenness won the game. Most Elves did not like the taste of beer. To them, it was foul and bitter. They preferred mead at blood warmth or else a nice glass of good Fey wine, but it was hard to come by good Fey wine.

Both Berelong and Leenia became friends with the race of Men. They were similar to Elves, but not as powerful. These beings could catch disease, grow old, and needed to sleep more often than Elves. They were not as fair as Elves, but not as rugged or as short as Dwarves were. However, though some were kind, some were also evil and turned to follow Morgoth without a second thought as to whom they would kill or maim.

Others were friendly and gladly gave shelter and food to all who went past their homes. Leenia and Berelong always helped Men when they needed protection from Morgoth's forces. Small defenseless towns were one of Morgoth's favorite pillaging spots, since he loved the pain of the weak and innocent.

Leenia and Berelong soon became heroes among both the race of Men and of Dwarves. They were even presented with gifts from the Dwarves who lived in the Misty Mountains, just west of Fangorn Forest. Berelong was given a strong, sturdy white sword made of mithril. Eowynthiel was given a cloak of mithril that she put on under her linen cloak so she could still be hidden. But, on the battlefield, she would take off her top cloak and reveal her mithril cloak, as it enhanced the light she used to destroy her enemy.

The two Elves became good friends with the Dwarves and always rushed to aide them if they could help. Berelong developed a taste for beer, though it took a few years. He still could not out-drink Leenia. She in turn could not out-drink any of the Dwarves. But they had fun and treated every being the same. The Dwarves, though slightly bitter to other Elves, gladly welcomed Leenia and Berelong into their caves and caverns.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve: Identity

Soon ten summers had past since the fateful day when the Arrow Tree Elf village was destroyed. Ten long years since had seen her parents or heard her mother's loving voice. Leenia had not heard any new news about King Eréndëror either, which worried her. She greatly wanted to know what Morgoth was doing to him or if her King was still alive.

"Berelong," Leenia said, pondering whether she should tell her truest friend her deepest secret.

"Yes? What is it Leenia?" asked Berelong. He had been sharpening his sword and now moved to tightening his bowstring.

They were in a small forest clearing south of Neldoreth Forest. Sunbeams were sparkling dimly, scattered through the branches of trees. It was peaceful and serene. Leenia was sitting on a branch, lazily dangling one of her legs while leaning against the trunk. Berelong was almost directly below her. Their horses grazed on small patches of grass close by.

"I have to tell you something, but please, promise that you will not tell another soul," she said, now climbing down from the branch that she had been sitting on.

"I promise. What's the matter?"

"I am not who you think I am."

Berelong gazed up from his bow and at Leenia. Berelong looked slightly confused. Leenia knew that he would be when she had first debated whether or not to tell him what she wanted to tell him.

"Who are you then?" Berelong asked, looking back down at his bow.

"My real name isn't Leenia the Wanderer, as you have most likely guess over these long ten years."

"It isn't?" he said jokingly and put on a perplexed appearance that was almost childlike on his face as he looked up at her again.

"No, it isn't," said Leenia, rolling her eyes at him. "It is Eowynthiel Silverbow," she hesitated for a moment having second thoughts about what she was going to say, but she gulped hard and blurted out, "and I am Princess of the Arrow Tree Elves."

Berelong, though slightly stunned, didn't look all that surprised. Leenia knew he had probably guessed her identity years before. She knew he wasn't dense. He could sense truths and lies. But her lie had been to protect herself and her friends, so she believed Berelong didn't ask questions because he knew she had a cause.

"I figured you had a position of importance since Ardinia," Berelong nodded to Leenia's horse who looked up at the sound of her name and nodded approvingly to the Elves, "showed up with the note and the crown. I don't think King Thingol or Queen Melian bought that tale about you being a 'simple healer' either when you told it to them and the other Elves at the council. I did not bring it up it to them earlier since you had lost your family and friends."

"That's what I thought you would say," Leenia said. "But I pray that you won't tell another soul. I shall not put you or any of my other friends in danger."

"I won't. I won't. I had promised earlier, did I not?"

"Good because I am not yet ready to parade around telling people, 'Look at me! I'm the last free Arrow Tree Elf _and_ I'm a Princess!'." As Leenia said this she got up and merrily skipped around the campsite in a fashion of sarcasm. "I have enough common sense to know what not to say," she added after abruptly stopping.

"Do you?" ask Berelong mockingly, then ducked, narrowly dodging a flying rock hurtling towards his head. "Temper, temper. You should play nice."

"And if you keep this charade up you are not going to live much longer," said Leenia, a look of warning in her eyes.

"Oh, I was only joking. You knew that, right?" he asked with a hint of concern in his voice.

"Did I?" asked Leenia with one eyebrow raised, trying hard not to smile.

Both Elves looked at each other for a moment, and then burst out laughing unable to keep the glee inside of them. Helegol and Ardinia both turned around and shook their heads as if scolding Berelong and Leenia for acting so foolishly. This only made the two Elves laugh even harder. The thought of their own horses scolding them for laughing was unbelievable. They were laughing so loudly that they didn't notice the shadows growing longer and the danger growing closer until they heard it.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen: Luck

A low rumble filled the forest clearing and both Elves sprang up and seized their weapons. They fully armed themselves then took their supplies and bade Ardinia and Helegol to hide with their packs tied to the saddles. Leenia and Berelong wanted to know who or what the enemy was before they tried to attack it.

The rumbling became louder and louder as a large body loomed into view. It was just as they feared: a Balrog had entered the forest, and it was not alone. There was not just one Balrog, but four. Berelong and Leenia gazed at them, then at each other. Leenia could defeat a Balrog in a one-on-one battle, but she did not how she would fare against four. Berelong couldn't kill a Balrog, light was the only thing that either of them knew would kill a Balrog.

"Should we flee or fight?" whispered Leenia, warily looking at the largest of the four Balrogs.

"We can't let them find Doriath, so I think the answer is obvious," replied Berelong.

"How are we supposed to kill them all?" asked Leenia, eyeing the largest Balrog, but found no weak spot on it.

"I don't know. You can kill one at a time, but against four how would you do?"

"I have never tried, but fighting one is hard enough. I wouldn't have the strength to fight the other three after I killed one."

"But you have grown stronger over the past ten years."

"Yes, but-"

"But what?" Berelong was looking at Leenia, surprised at the sternness on her face.

"What if we sent word to Doriath, for help? Killing Balrogs is easier with more Elves to help distract them instead of you running around in circles while I try and kill them."

"How-"

"You ride, but take Ardinia, she's faster than Helegol. She'll get you there quickly and safely. Now go."

"But-"

"Go!" Leenia said with impatience, wanting Berelong to get help swiftly, ere the Balrogs moved on or else discovered either her or Berelong.

Berelong quietly but hurriedly went to find Ardinia and get to Doriath to warn King Thingol and ask for his aide. Leenia watched him leave, but she was worried. A bad feeling was swelling inside of her, though she did not understand it. It was telling her to move, to get away from where she was; that she was in danger.

Suddenly, a fiery sword struck the ground at the exact point where Leenia was, leaving a crater in its wake. Leenia had moved a second earlier, following the feeling she had. But the Balrogs knew she was there. She would have to fight, or else flee in the opposite direction of Doriath. The decision, however, was out of her hands, or rather, she was in its hands.

Two of the Balrogs grabbed her while the other two, which included the largest one, looked in the bushes and trees for more Elves. Leenia thrashed and struggled but she was going nowhere, for she was being held a full twenty feet off of the ground. Her arms were being tightly detained by two different Balrogs and her feet were dangling pointlessly in the air. There was only one choice for her to survive. She had to use light. But an immense power was needed to kill the two Balrogs holding her, which would leave her drained of energy and near death. And she could not forget about the other two Balrogs. Would the light affect them? She had no choice. It was now or never.

A blast of soundless light filled the forest. Leenia could feel herself being dropped and she hit the ground hard, but everything was white. Then, as suddenly as it had happened, the light was gone and darkness covered the forest, and Leenia could not see or hear anything.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen: Talents

As she regained consciousness, Leenia opened her eyes and discovered Berelong and King Thingol kneeling at her side and a small army of Doriath Elves in a circle looking down at her. Berelong smiled at as she slowly got up.

"What happened?" ask Leenia rubbing her head and looking around to see four Balrogs lying dead on the forest floor.

"We were going to ask you the same question. How are you feeling? We got here barely five minutes ago," replied Berelong, nodding towards the small army behind him.

"Yes, I was told that you needed aide and now I come here to find all the fun has started and ended without me," said King Thingol, humor ringing in his voice.

"All I can remember is a bad feeling before a Balrog swung at me, but I dodged it. Then I was picked up by two of them and," Leenia paused for a moment, thinking hard, "and then I felt strong and light poured out. Everything else is just white and blank. Then darkness."

"Well," said Berelong looking in high regard at Leenia, "we saw the light a while before we got here. We were even blinded for a short instant. Then we came into the forest clearing and you were lying here, surrounded by carcasses of Balrogs."

"What was the feeling like, besides for bad?" asked King Thingol, looking with seriousness at Leenia.

"Well," said Leenia, pushing into her thoughts even more, "I just had a sort of bad feeling that I should move or else I would get badly injured, so I followed my instinct rolled over just before that biggest Balrog tried to smashed me with his sword," she said, nodding towards the gigantic Balrog corpse.

King Thingol looked at her curiously, as if he knew what she had felt, as if he had that same feeling many years before. The other Elves were congratulating Leenia on killing three Balrogs at once. Berelong was helping her onto Ardinia. He then mounted Helegol and sat on his horse right next to her so he could help support her so she wouldn't fall over from lack of energy.

They soon reached Doriath and the Elves dismounted. Leenia, just as her previous visit ten years before, was welcomed with cheers of glee and enormous feasts. Singing and dancing filled the night air with light and sounds of joy. The morning brought more food and stories of the first Elves and of the Undying Lands and other folk in Beleriand and of Middle Earth.

It was not long before Leenia was stronger and she could then join in with the merriment after four days of recuperation. But she knew that she and Berelong should not tarry for long in Doriath. They both didn't want to draw attention to Region Forest for fear that Morgoth would find the joyous and free land that still lay hidden and beyond his reach.

So with heavy hearts, Leenia and Berelong mounted Ardinia and Helegol to bid farewell to Doriath. It had been two weeks and reports of Orcs moving south towards Middle Earth had reached them. They took with them more lembas bread and both Elves filled their wineskins with water. They were all set for the journey and left Doriath on the fifteenth day since their arrival. King Thingol and his guard followed Leenia and Berelong to see them off at the edge of the forest.

"I can't thank you enough, King Thingol, for allowing me to come into Doriath again. I hope I can return the favors you have done for me one day," said Leenia, who was riding next to King Thingol.

"It is I who is in dept to you, Leenia the Wanderer. You saved many of my people and killed four Balrogs that might have discovered my hidden kingdom," replied Thingol to Leenia with a smile on his face.

"It wasn't all that much, really," said Leenia.

"Not much? You saved many lives and the location of Doriath," said Berelong, speeding up on Helegol joining Leenia on her other side.

"But what were the odds that the Balrogs would find Doriath? And, if they couldn't find Doriath, they wouldn't have be able to harm any Elves," countered Leenia, determined not to be a hero, for Arrow Tree Elves were quiet and humble.

"Never the less, you killed four Balrogs. Not many Elves can kill one, let alone a small party of them," said King Thingol, even more determined to make her a hero.

"Alright, I can see that I am outnumbered," Leenia sighed in a defeated manner. "But, I request that you keep the story inside of Doriath. I do not want other ears to hear of my power. Not yet at least."

"As you will," King Thingol sighed. "Here is the edge of the forest. I bid both of you farewell and I hope that you, Leenia, can find your King. Berelong, be safe and do not falter in your friendship. Goodbye for now, and I am unsure that we shall ever meet again."


End file.
